Let Go of Ning Ze! This Miss Will Handle Him!

However.

Zhu Zhuqing had barely turned past the corridor corner when the main hall doors creaked open from within!

"Wow! I finished the carrot pastries! Let's see if Brother Ning Ze and the others are back..."

Holding an empty porcelain plate, Xiao Wu skipped out from behind the door.

Zhu Zhuqing, who had been hurrying along with her head lowered like a guilty thief, nearly crashed straight into Xiao Wu. Her delicate body shuddered violently in fright, and she abruptly stopped, raising a hand to cover her chest as her eyes darted about.

"X-Xiao Wu?"

"Huh? Zhuqing?!"

Xiao Wu blinked her large, watery eyes and looked Zhu Zhuqing up and down.

When she saw Zhu Zhuqing's sweat-soaked hair, peach-blossom flush, and drenched training clothes nearly clinging to her skin, leaving her looking both disheveled and alluring—

The innocent Xiao Wu could not help opening her cherry-red lips wide, asking with a face full of naïve shock.

"Oh my gosh! Zhuqing, why are you sweating so much?"

"Weren't you off doing special training with Brother Ning Ze?! How did you end up like this?"

Hearing Xiao Wu's soul-searching question, Zhu Zhuqing's already hot, flushed face instantly turned as red as the evening sky!

Zhu Zhuqing wished she could dig a crack in the ground and crawl into it. Even her usually frost-cold eyes were now misted over with intense shame.

"D-Don't let your imagination run wild!"

Zhu Zhuqing spat out in embarrassment, shooting Xiao Wu an ashamed, annoyed glare. Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, yet it trembled with bashfulness.

"This... this is a normal reaction to high-intensity close-quarters combat! If you went, you'd be the same!!"

After throwing out that incoherent, embarrassed retort, Zhu Zhuqing did not dare linger for even another second. Like an innocent little wildcat frightened out of her wits, she bolted back to her bedroom in a flash!

Xiao Wu stood where she was, scratching one of her fluffy pink rabbit ears. Huge question marks filled her big eyes.

"If it were me... I'd be the same? Why? Is close-quarters special training really that exhausting?"

Before the little rabbit's simple train of thought could sort through all those twists and turns, steady, familiar footsteps sounded behind her.

Xiao Wu turned around and saw Ning Ze walking leisurely toward her from the end of the corridor with elegant steps, a gentle smile as refreshing as a spring breeze on his handsome face.

Xiao Wu's eyes instantly lit up. Her earlier confusion was immediately tossed aside as she happily pounced on him!

"Brother Ning Ze! You're finally back!!"

Xiao Wu affectionately clung tightly to Ning Ze's strong arm, pressing herself against his side like a little bird. She lifted her pretty, radiant little face, while her rabbit ears trembled wildly in excitement.

"Zhuqing's training is already finished today, so according to the rules we agreed on before... tomorrow, it'll be your turn to give me my own one-on-one special training, right?!"

Seeing the anticipation in Xiao Wu's eyes, Ning Ze could not help laughing inwardly. He fondly raised a hand to rub the top of her smooth scorpion braid, smiling gently.

"Of course. Since I promised you, tomorrow will naturally be entirely your personal time."

"Yay! Great! Brother Ning Ze is the bes—"

However, before Xiao Wu could finish that sugary cheer—

"Ahem, ahem, ahem!!"

An extremely exaggerated feminine cough, thick with jealousy and killing intent, suddenly exploded from the main hall like a thunderclap!

"Let go of Ning Ze! This Miss will handle him!"

Ning Rongrong, dressed in an exquisite pink-and-blue gown, charged out of the inner hall like a furious little leopardess with her fur standing on end!

Ning Rongrong planted her hands on her slender waist and glared viciously at Xiao Wu's hands tightly wrapped around Ning Ze. Her little mouth was pouted enough to hang three oil bottles from it.

"Xiao Wu! Let go right now!"

"Tomorrow is tomorrow, but today isn't over yet!"

"According to the rules we agreed on before! Tonight, Ning Ze belongs completely and entirely to this Miss!"

Before she had even finished speaking, Ning Rongrong squeezed Xiao Wu aside like a domineering little housekeeper guarding her food.

She tightly wrapped both arms around Ning Ze's arm and practically hung herself seamlessly against him. Raising her delicate little chin as though declaring her ownership, she shouted.

"Come on, come on! Ning Ze, this Miss's room has already been scented with the finest Snow Lotus Calming Incense! Come back to my room with me right now and begin our exclusive Love God Dual Cultivation Meditation for tonight! Not a single second can be wasted!!"

Seeing this impatient, spoiled, domineering display from Miss Ning, as though she feared someone else might touch Ning Ze with even one extra finger—

Ning Ze found it both funny and helpless. He quickly reached out and pressed a hand to Ning Rongrong's fragrant shoulder, laughing helplessly.

"Wait, wait, Rongrong, my young lady. You can eat whatever you want, but you can't throw around that temper of yours whenever you want!"

Ning Ze pointed toward the pitch-black night outside the window, cleared his throat, and tried to reason with her.

"Zhuqing and I fought for a solid three hours in the training room. We've both spent a tremendous amount of energy, and I haven't even had a sip of water yet. I've been hungry for ages!"

"Even dual cultivation meditation requires full vitality and balanced yin and yang. We can't possibly meditate on empty stomachs, can we?"

"How about... we get something to eat first and fill our stomachs? We can start after we've eaten and drunk our fill. What do you think?"

"Huh? Is meditating on an empty stomach bad?"

Ning Rongrong blinked, and a trace of hesitation flashed across her spoiled, domineering little face.

However, before she could stubbornly argue back—

Grrrrumble... grrrrrrrumble...

A sudden, prolonged growl from a stomach rang through the quiet corridor without warning!

The scene instantly fell into strange silence.

"Ah—!!"

Ning Rongrong's fair, tender oval face immediately turned crimson, and even her delicate little earlobes were stained red.

After all that fuss, the little girl had spent the whole afternoon waiting in the courtyard for Ning Ze to return. Aside from a few small pastries, she had long since become ravenous herself!

Looking at Ning Rongrong's crimson face and her adorably flustered, mortified expression, Ning Ze found it amusing, his eyes filled with affection.

"Pfft..."

Ning Ze could not help chuckling. He naturally took Ning Rongrong's soft, cool little hand in his and smiled.

"Alright, alright. Since you're hungry too, why don't we go to the Heaven Dou City night market and see what delicious food they have? You need to eat your fill before getting to work!"

With Ning Ze holding her hand tightly, the warmth and consideration flowing from his palm made Ning Rongrong's heart tremble.

The proud Ning Rongrong forced her flushed little face into a stern expression, then took the offered way out with a huff.

"Hmph! Since you're begging this Miss, Ning Ze, this Miss will graciously go have dinner first!"

But then her tone abruptly changed as Ning Rongrong issued another domineering verdict.

"But let's make this clear! After we finish this meal and return to the courtyard... tonight's all-night dual cultivation meditation, you! Can! Only! Accompany! Me! And! No! One! Else! Do you hear me?!"

"Alright, alright. As you command, my Lady Rongrong."

Ning Ze laughed speechlessly and agreed aloud.

Afterward, they called Zhu Zhuqing, who had changed into fresh clothes, and headed out together toward the night market.